Another bizarre tradition of the Pageant is the annual "Shoe Parade," which is held the day before the main event along Atlantic City's Boardwalk. Each state's delegation supervises the construction of an elaborate float (e.g.: Idaho's is a big potato, Florida's is a giant orange, etc.), which their state's contestant rides in while waving and wearing an equally elaborate outfit — especially when it comes to their SHOES, which are supposed to be the piece de resistance of their entire get-up.

"Fancy Shoes" seems to be a common motif at the Pageant, in that even the entrance to the Convention Hall itself features an amazing display of CHOCOLATE SHOES that some mad local chocolatier concocts every year. To the innocent-minded it's all an obvious reference to the Cinderella Theme that the Pageant embodies, though there's another "tradition" that sullies that notion: the rows of sweaty middle-aged male "shoe enthusiasts" who line the parade route year after year with homemade signs saying "Show Us Your Shoes!", while the naive contestants happily oblige. GROSS!